by M. D. Cooper
The result was a space force that was larger than the SSF garrisons in the system—by a lot. GFF ships were not as massive or as powerful as the Silstrand Space Force’s, but one of their cruisers was still more than enough to take out the dauntless—even if their shields had been functioning.
Rogers turned to Kylie “We’re close enough for strong tightbeam, but after demanding that we respond to them, they haven’t acknowledged any of my hails.”
Kylie pushed her hair from her face. Everything was happening so fast. It was like being on a roller coaster where you never got off—it just kept going. Was it too much to ask to just slow down and pause for a moment?
She took a deep breath and sent a transmission, “Captain of the Satisfaction, this is Captain Rhoads of the Dauntless. Do not open fire, we are willing to…” Kylie swallowed hard, “negotiate.” She ended the transmission and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Well,” Rogers said with a sigh, “at least we’re coming from a place of strength.”
Kylie wanted to tell him to shut up but she was too nervous, she stood just as much a chance of throwing up as speaking every time she opened her mouth.
They were never going to go for it and even if they did, she would probably have to hack off a piece of her soul all over again. The GFF, Silstrand Alliance, Maverick, every one of them forced Kylie do things she didn’t want to do. They cornered her every time, and Kylie didn’t even know what path she wanted to take anymore.
One out of here would be great…
Still, when the video transmission returned from the Satisfaction, Kylie almost jumped at what she saw. “Maverick,” she gave a breathless sigh. “You’re all right. You’re better. Thank—”
Maverick held up his hand to silence her. “As well as can be expected despite the circumstances. You’ll notice our weapons are locked on your engines.”
“Is that any way to say hello?” Kylie asked with her sweetest smile—an action that sickened her even further.
“At this juncture, I get to say hello anyway I like, girl. We’re going to dock and you’ll come on board for a private conversation. Any resistance to that and the Dauntless will be no more. Do I make myself clear?”
Leave the Dauntless now to meet with Maverick? There was no way she could make it through something like that—now she could tell that things inside her were getting worse, not better.
Grayson had been taken over by Jerrod, Lana was supposed to be dead but was alive, and now Maverick wanted to play power games with her?
Kylie felt her blood pressure begin to spike, then plummet as a wave of dizziness washed over her.
“Kylie,” Maverick sighed with impatience. “Do we have a deal? I remind you that my finger is hovering over the button that will end your life.”
Like that was any different from what he was always doing to her. “I…” Kylie shook her head. “I can’t.”
Maverick’s eyes widened and Rogers turned to her, stuttering. “You what?”
“I’m serious, Kylie,” Maverick said through gritted teeth. “You come over here or….”
“No! This is bullshit. I can’t take any more of your crap! You have no idea what I’ve just been through, no idea!”
“Raise shields!” Maverick called to someone over his shoulder. “Good bye, Kylie.”
Would he really kill her just like that? After all his professions of love and affection for her, could he really just destroy her? The answer was yes, of course he could. He was Maverick and this was what he did.
Rogers caught Kylie’s hand before she could end the transmission. “She’ll be there, Maverick. Just give her a few minutes to pull herself together.”
Kylie cast him a look. How dare he answer for her. How dare he!
“No more than five,” Maverick said and with his face set like stone, he disappeared.
“When do you get to talk for me? Huh!” Kylie slammed her open palm into Rogers’ shoulder, then did it again.
He staggered backward, a wounded expression on his face.
Marge said.
Well, that was interesting and Kylie wished she was together enough to ask questions about what Marge was referring to, but her legs were jelly and her arms were shaking. Kylie needed to sit, or take a nap—for a week.
Rogers took a step forward, apparently seeing that the fight had gone out of her. Quietly, he grabbed her wrists and held her at bay. “When you are about to get us all killed, someone has to speak for you.”
Maybe he was right, but Kylie couldn’t stomach seeing Maverick right then. “I can’t see Maverick alone. If he sees the shape I’m in right now…. You have any idea what he’ll do to me?”
“I’ll come with you. I’ll stand with you, Kylie.” Rogers gripped her shoulders. “Whatever is going on that has you so torn up, I can help.”
If only it were that easy. “You can’t leave. I need someone I trust in charge of the ship.”
“What about Grayson? You don’t trust him again?” Rogers asked. The question was all Kylie needed to get pushed over the edge again. Emotion surged through her and her heart pounded, she couldn’t speak and it felt like she couldn’t breathe.
“I’ve never seen you like this,” Rogers said and helped Kylie sit down. “Whatever is going on, you can trust me.”
“There’s no time to explain but I wish there was. I have to go see Maverick or we’re all dead. You’re right about that, but I can’t go alone.” Which mean there was only one other choice. Grayson was compromised and she had just rescued Lana from the GFF, so there was no way she could take the girl on one of their ships.
The only other option was in the starboard airlock and Kylie hated to even consider it. She hated it so much that she reached up, grabbed her hair and screamed.
* * * * *
“You’re alive!” Rogers eyes widened as he stopped mid-stride, mouth hanging open.
They were walking toward the airlock and Lana had just exited the medbay. Inside, Kylie could see Grayson’s motionless body strapped down to the table. She suspected that if he wanted to, Jerrod could eventually break free. But after Lana’s attack, he hadn’t moved a muscle.
So, what was stopping him?
Maybe he saw no viable options just then. But the moment he did, the moment he saw weakness, would he take advantage of it?
Lana smirked at Rogers. “Everyone keeps saying that to me but here I am, fly boy. Sorry, I haven’t gotten to know any of your names yet. I was unconscious when I came on board, got pretend-kidnapped, shot, attacked by AI guy, and now here I am.”
“Rogers,” he introduced himself and offered her his hand. “And I just had a bad plate of enchiladas the last time we were dirtside, not a patch on what you’ve been through.”
Kylie snorted and shook her head. She stopped suddenly, worried that she’d trigger another episode of nausea, but none came.
Kylie met Lana’s eyes. “Unfortunately, we have a situation that I need to handle.” She crossed her arms and glanced at the airlock and her stomach roiled with a different sort of discomfort. “While I talk to Winter, no one get too close. Or spend time alone with Grayson…he's
not himself right now.”
Rogers’ brow furrowed and Lana jumped in to explain. “His AI took over and tried to kill Kylie.”
“Whoa! That was not the explanation I was prepared for. No wonder you don’t want to take him to see Maverick.”
“Tell me about it.” Kylie glanced over at the airlock and Rogers grabbed her arm.
His eyes were level and his tone lowered. “Seriously, though, Winter isn’t much better than a crazed AI that wants to kill you. You’re sure about this?”
“Not really,” Kylie sighed.
“How can you trust him again after everything he did?” Rogers asked.
“I can’t,” Kylie said simply. “But I’m running out of options. It’s the only thing we’ve got. We can’t leave Lana alone with Grayson and I can’t go alone.” She walked over to the airlock and stared in through the viewing window.
Winter stood staring out at her with his arms crossed. Seeing him again, without an ounce of remorse on his face, filled her with red blinding rage. Kylie wanted to rip that smug look off his face with her bare hands.
“Seems like my dance card is being picked last.”
“Does that surprise you?” Kylie asked venomously.
“I know I shouldn’t have taken the ship.” Winter’s tone was flat; there was no apology in it.
“Or knocked out Rogers,” Rogers muttered from behind Kylie.
Winter shrugged. “I thought your decision-making skills were compromised. Maybe I was right, maybe I wasn’t, but I’m not going to apologize for what I thought was the right thing to do.”
“So, you think taking down Rogers, locking us in our quarters, and stealing my ship was the right thing to do?” Kylie’s voice rose as she spoke. Then she snorted and shook her head, struggling to remain in control. Everything in her said using Winter was a bad move. “I always knew you were a piece of work, Winter, but never in my life did I imagine you’d betray your own crew.”
“Was it excessive, sure, maybe. But if the shoe was on the other foot and you disagreed with me, and wanted to save Nadine, you would’ve done it. Don’t dilute yourself.”
Lana rolled her eyes. “She’s not a cocktail.”
Kylie gave a reluctant smile at Lana’s attempt at humor. “It’s delude, Winter, but close enough.” She gazed back at Rogers who resolutely shook his head side to side. Rogers had a point and so did Winter. She had done some crazy things to get this far. She turned back and gave Winter a long, cold stare.
“Here's the situation. Grayson's unavailable, Rogers needs to keep an eye on things here, and Lana…. I can't take her into a GFF ship. Not after everything we've just gone through. You're my only option and I don't trust you, so you’re going to have to make me trust you.”
Winter grimaced. “Ouch. You've always trusted me before.”
Kylie's eyebrows arched. “Seriously Winter? We just went over this. That was before you attacked us and tried to take over my ship. You may not have agreed with my choices but that didn't give you the right to steal what wasn’t yours.”
Over her shoulder, Rogers piped up. “Or knock me over the head. Who's the pilot of the Dauntless? Sure as hell isn't you.”
Kylie silenced Rogers with a well-meaning glare before turning back to Winter. “You're my only option and I need you to have my back. Maverick's going to say a lot of crazy shit when we get over there and I need to make sure that you aren't swayed. If you turn on me, I’ll drop you first.”
Winter nodded. “I'm with you until the end, Kylie.”
Kylie had to agree. “Is that end that comes when you stab me in the back again? The only thing I hate more than you right now, is having to dance to Maverick’s tune. That’s what’s keeping you alive right now, but if I even think that you’re gonna cross me, it’ll be your end.”
“At least we’re being honest with each other,” Winter said, snorted then stepped back from the door.
A dull thud reverberated through the hull and Kylie glanced back at Rogers.
“The Satisfaction just locked their umbilical on,” Rogers said.
“Shouldn’t you be on the bridge to pilot this thing?” Lana asked.
Rogers shook his head. “We’re in the dark layer, there’s no way to maneuver in here.”
Lana frowned. “Then how did they just dock with us?”
“Gravitons,” Kylie said as she turned back to Winter, drawing up the courage…or insanity…to trust him again. “They can target us with negative gravitons and pull us together.”
“Huh,” Lana said.
“Don’t worry, kid,” Rogers chuckled as he tapped his head. “I can still maintain attitude control by pushing against their ship. All possible over the Link. No need to be on the bridge.”
“Then why do you even need a bridge?” Lana asked.
Kylie let a laugh slip out, the feeling strange after so much intensity.
Rogers, on the other hand, let out an exasperated breath. “Because we have to have a bridge. Where are we going to run the ship from? The galley? Besides, all the holodisplays and controls are backups if the Link goes down.”
“How often has that ha—” Lana began.
Smart AI for a nanny, Kylie thought to herself as she palmed the airlock control. The door slid aside and Winter stepped out.
“Don't make me regret this decision, Winter. Any funny business, and this time I do more than just lock you up.”
Winter licked his lips. It didn’t look like a nervous gesture. “You'll see you can trust me. I've always been about the ship and the crew, from the moment you brought me aboard.”
Kylie pointed her thumb down the hall. “Grab a weapon and be ready just in case. Get me one too.”
“A weapon?” Rogers said. “You’re going to trust muscle head with a weapon? C’mon, Kylie, think.”
As Winter sprinted down the hall Kylie spoke privately to Rogers and Lana.
Rogers said.
Kylie wasn't ready to get into that debate right then—especially with how crestfallen Lana appeared.
She gripped Rogers’ shoulder.
Kylie pulled her hand away and smiled.
Rogers led Lana away, and Kylie sent a private message to Marge.
That wasn’t what Kylie wanted to hear, but she kept her emotions in check and her face neutral as Winter caught up to her.
&nb
sp; Winter silently handed Kylie a pulse pistol and they stepped into the airlock.
As the lock matched pressure with the atmosphere in the umbilical, Kylie’s mind raced through the possible reasons why Maverick was here—and on a GFF ship.
Maverick had hundreds of ships at his disposal, most were freighters, but they were armed freighters. He didn’t need to use the GFF to hunt her down.
Unless the GFF had forced him to cooperate after she fought their troops in Harken’s brothel on Perseverance. That didn’t line up, though. Kylie suspected that Harken had been working with a splinter group within the GFF. If the Gedri military knew that Kylie had killed their people, she’d already be staring down the barrel of a gun.
That had to mean that whoever was in command of this ship didn’t know that she had rescued Lana—or that Lana even existed at all.
The conversation was going to be a minefield.
The airlock cycled open, and Kyle gestured for Winter to proceed through the umbilical first.
“Gee, thanks, I’m pretty much just a big meat shield,” he said as he pushed off and floated through the tube.
“Yup,” Kylie replied as she followed, staying behind him.
They reached the far side of the umbilical without incident, and the airlock door opened. They swung in, the ship’s artificial gravity grabbing them and pulling down.
Kylie felt her stomach lurch at the sensation, but didn’t give any outward appearance—she hoped—of discomfort as the airlock cycled.
Four GFF soldiers in light armor waited for them, pulse rifles leveled.
“Drop your weapons,” one of the soldiers, a sergeant by his insignia, said.
“No,” Kylie replied.
“I said drop them!” the sergeant yelled.
“What are you going to do? Shoot us?” Kylie asked.
Winter slapped his hand on the pistol strapped to his thigh. “Think I need this? If any harm comes to Captain Rhoads, I'll crush you all.”
Kylie doubted it, but she had to admire Winter’s bluster. With their armor and rifles he may take down one or two, but that would be it. All he was doing was blowing hot air—and trying to prove he could be trusted. Kylie wasn’t going to buy it that easily.